Small Carpenter Bees (Genus Ceratina)

Size: Tiny to Small (4-10 mm)    {Size Comparison-the average honeybee size is 13 mm}

Color: Hairless and shiny, metallic- blue or green in coloration

Type of Flight: Nearly invisible flight due to small size and coloration

Distinguishing Characteristics:

(1) Hairless, wasp-like bodies with metallic blue or green coloration

(2) Most possess white dots or lines on the face, just above the mouth

(3) They nest in small stems of trees and shrubs after they excavate out the spongy middle portions. (pith nester)

(4) Most species are solitary; however, a few species are communal (females living together)

Abundance in Georgia: Common

Typically Found in Georgia: March-October

Pollination Value: High

Plants Associated with: All flowering plants (Generalist – not specific to any type of plant)

Nesting Habitat: These bees nest in the stems of dead trees, bushes and herbaceous plants (if it has a spongy center with hard exterior).

Classification: Family: Apidae     Genus: Ceratina

Number of Species in Georgia: 6

Number of Species in U.S.: 26

Photos taken by Sam Droege and staff at the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory (Used with permission)

–> Click on the photo to enlarge the image

 

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